Elvissa stumbles along, dragging the awkward suitcase along. At the gates of Amineium she turns around one more time and stares at her house, which is still clearly visible due to its significantly greater size in comparison with the surrounding homesteads. Then she turns again to move on, but she is stopped by a strong hand. “Wait a moment, little girl. Where do you think you’re going?”, the guard asks. Elvissa is flabergasted. “Well, I... I...” “Running away from home I suppose.” “No, I... Yeah.” “Come here.”, the guard says, leading Elvissa to a bench. She sits down, and the guard crouches down opposite to her. “Listen”, he says, “every month we get some kids running away from home. Just because they’re not allowed to. That’s puberty for you.” At this comment, Elvissa pouts. “Don’t deny it. You know it’s true.” “Hm.” “Now I know you’re curious about the outside world and everything, but there’s a reason us Elves keep to ourselves.” The guard continues talking to Elvissa for another half hour or so. It occurs to Elvissa that he’s very kind, and that he may well do what her parents couldn’t. He might convince her to stay. “And I’m sure that your parents are dieing witrh concern about you right now.”, he concludes. Not a smart move. He was on the verge of convincing her, but the mention of her parents brings back the desire to escape the seemingly foney concern her father harbors and her mother’s attempts to talk it right. She lifts her head to look the guard right in the eyes. “My parents are not concerned for me.”, she says. “Come now, I’m sure that...”, the guard tries once more. “No.”, Elvissa interrupts, “You can’t stop me anyway.” The guard sighs. “At least give me your name, so that I know who to file as missing.” “Fine.”, Elvissa smiles. “I’m Elvissa, the daughter of the Magistrate.” That catches the guard off balance. “Good night.”, Elvissa adds, picking up her suitcase and stepping through the open gates. The guard watches as hse walks off towards the horizon for a while. Then he joins his collegue, who had been attending the gate while the first guard had his chat with the girl. “Who was that?”, the other Elf asks. “The Magistrate’s daughter.” “What?” “I know. Stay here, I’ll go inform the captain.” By the time the sun comes up, four small detachment of ten city guards each, have set out to find Elvissa under the orders of His Eminence the Magistrate of Amineium himself. The guard that let her through is in the city guard barracks, cleaning the lavatories with a toothbrush.